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Murder at school: 2 Top officials of Ryan arrested

Gurgaon

11 Sep 2017

Two top officials of the Ryan International School have been arrested while the acting principal detained for questioning in connection with the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old boy in school premises, the police said today.

Fourteen police teams constituted to probe the case, which has sparked huge public outrage, are questioning the school staff while an SIT team is headed to Mumbai to interrogate school CEO Ryan Pinto and director Albert Pinto. Gurgaon Police Chief Sandeep Khairwar told news agency PTI that "School's Legal Head, Franchis Thomas and HR Head, Jeyus Thomas were arrested on Sunday night following interrogation". Acting principal Neerja Batra has been detained and is being questioned. She is likely to be arrested soon, Khairwar said.

Amidst the ongoing probe, bus driver, Saurabh Raghav has claimed that the Gurgaon police and school management forced him to confess that knife used in the crime was part of the bus tool kit and also that he gave false statements against conductor Ashok. Raghav also alleged he was beaten up by the police. Class 2 student Pradhuman Thakur was found with his throat slit in a school washroom on Friday last. Bus conductor Ashok has been arrested in connection with the crime.

Taking action on the report of the three-member Special Investigative Team (SIT) indicating lapses in security at Ryan International School, Gurgaon Police arrested two top officials of the school under section 75 of the Juvenile Justice act.
A fact-finding sub inquiry committee has highlighted deficiencies in the installation of CCTV cameras at the school, lack of separate toilets for drivers and conductors, unsafe toilets, broken boundary wall, lack of ramps, expired fire extinguishers and lack of police verification of employees. The district administration has asked the school to ensure safety at its premises and gave 15 days time to reply to a show cause notice.

All Ryan group of schools in Gurgaon have been ordered to remain shut today and tomorrow on the directions of the district administration. Security has been stepped up at the school. Hundreds of parents had yesterday staged a protest outside the Ryan International School here demanding a CBI probe into the murder of the 7-year-old student. The state government has directed the Gurgaon Police to book the owner of Ryan International Albert Pinto under the Juvenile Justice (care and punishment act) Act.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has asserted that there will be no leniency and the school management will be held accountable.